Once tucked away in quiet corners of rural life, opium has grown into a central fact of existence in Iran—traded openly, consumed quietly and relied upon by millions looking to salve social and economic anxiety.
In voice messages and phone calls to Iran International, Iranians from cities and provinces across the country said they believed the usually vigilant state turns a blind idea to the blight.
“The regime uses it to suppress voices,” said Hamid from Siahkal. “They instantly arrest women for not wearing the hijab. You think they can’t stop opium? Of course they can. But they don’t want to.”
Former health minister sparks outrage
The latest public reckoning began when a video of former Health Minister Dr. Reza Malekzadeh circulated widely online last month. “The highest opium consumption in Iran is in Rafsanjan in Kerman province; 27% of the people in this city use opium. Golestan ranks next with 18%,” he said.
The backlash from residents of Rafsanjan was swift, prompting Malekzadeh to release a second video. This time, he broadened the scope: “More than 45% of the world’s opium production is consumed in Iran, and about 10% of the population over the age of 40 uses opium either recreationally or due to addiction.”
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Iran consumes approximately 450 metric tons of opium annually—about 42% of the global total.
While statistics vary, all indicators point to an addiction crisis of unprecedented scale driven by proximity to Afghan production, weak deterrent policies and systemic neglect.
From local habit to national structure
Sociologist Saeed Peyvandi said Iran’s addiction crisis deepened after the 1979 revolution, when the state embraced violent crackdowns instead of treatment.
“After the Islamic Revolution it expanded so much and we are dealing with a very vast social phenomenon,” he told Iran International. “Before the revolution it was so geographical … but after, the clerical rulers began a very tough stance to arrest and execute drug dealers … and we witnessed its expansion in contrast.”
“The policies of the Islamic Republic, excluding the human element from the process and putting stigma on addicts led them to become addicted again. The rehabilitation is done very badly and they are humiliated,” he added.
In contrast to Iran’s punitive approach, Peyvandi cited decriminalization and public health strategies in countries like Portugal, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
“The more secret such acts become, the harder it is to treat them,” he said.
‘The system does not want to solve the issue’
For many inside the country, the failure to address addiction is not just incompetence, but deliberate neglect, said Sam from the northwestern city of Anzali.
Despite claims of nationwide surveillance, Sam said drugs move freely. “You say you have (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) IRGC intelligence and the intelligence ministry who watch every single move. So why is this happening?”
“With so much economic strain and social repression, people can't tolerate the pressure anymore,” he added. “There are no pastimes or fun."
Majid from Mashhad offered a simpler explanation. “The simplest reason for vast use of opium in Iran is that there is money in it,” he said.
“Either for those addicted to it, or those who want to quit.”
'A tool of political control'
Hamid from Siahkal near the Caspian Sea likened Iran to a mental asylum. “The only medication to use is opium,” he said. “It's the good stuff, which soothes the people and makes them sit down and never think of getting back up.”
“(Authorities) clamp down on everything like a piece of cake. Two girls come out without hijabs and they instantly arrest them. You think they can't deal with the opium problem?”
“Unfortunately, we Iranians, when in great pain, take stronger painkillers—and opium is considered a painkiller as well. My body can’t tolerate it, otherwise I would have taken some myself.”
Ehsan from Tehran drew a similar conclusion. “I believe the Islamic Republic is using opium as a preventive,” he said.
“If you go to rehab centers, you will see that it is making guys more addicted because junkies cannot shout and raise their voices against the government.”
“The Revolutionary Guard is the largest narcotics cartel itself … It's not just opium. You can easily find crack and meth inside Iran,” he added.
A society without alternatives
For Toomaj in Rasht in northwest Iran, the problem is not only addiction, but isolation. “All are profiteers—from the ones who bring Methadone to those who sell drugs,” he said. “They are trading using the life of people.”
“In other countries, people find a good feeling in nightclubs, bars. When none of them are available in Iran, people have to make themselves happy with something else.”
